USPTO Patents Application 09960086

PATENT
H0002197

WE CLAIM:

1 . A fuel cell power system comprising:

a fuel cell stack having a manifold wherein heat is exchanged
between a fuel fluid and an oxidant fluid;

a recuperator wherein heat is exchanged between an exhaust gas
from said fuel cell stack and said oxidant fluid;

a thermal enclosure surrounding said fuel cell stack, said
manifold, and said recuperator.

2. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, further comprising a
combustion chamber inside said thermal enclosure for oxidizing said exhaust
gas.

3. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, further comprising a
reformer inside said thermal enclosure wherein fuel is pre-heated before
delivery to said fuel cell stack.

4. The fuel ceil power system of Claim 3, wherein said reformer uses
catalytic partial oxidation to pre-heat said fuel.

5. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, further comprising a fuel
vaporizer inside said thermal enclosure, said fuel vaporizer in fluid
communication with said manifold.

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PATENT
H0002197

6. The fuel cell power system of Claim 5, further comprising:

a fuel storage tank in fluid communication with said fuel vaporizer;
a pressure relief valve; and

an air flow delivery device wherein said air flow delivery device
5 pressurizes said oxidant fluid and delivers said oxidant fluid to said manifold
and wherein said air flow delivery device provides pressurization for said fuel
storage tank, and said pressure relief valve regulates said pressurization.

7. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, wherein said thermal
enclosure Includes a vacuum vessel.

8. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, wherein said thermal
enclosure includes multi-layer insulation comprising alternating layers of metal
foil and porous ceramic.

9. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, wherein said manifold is an
internal manifold.

10. The fuel cell power system of Claim 1, wherein said air flow
delivery device is an air compressor.

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PATENT
H0002197

11. A fuel cell stack, comprising:

an internal manifold having a first interior cavity, a second interior
cavity, a first flow orifice and a second flow orifice wherein a first fluid is
delivered through said first flow orifice, a second fluid is delivered through said
5 second flow orifice, heat is exchanged between said first and second fluids, and
said first and second fluids are kept separate;

a fuel cell having an anode layer, a cathode layer, and an
electrolyte layer between said anode layer and said cathode layer, said fuel cell
being disposed about said internal manifold; and
10 at least one separator plate disposed about said internal manifold

and defining a first channel and second channel, said first channel providing
fluid communication between said first flow orifice and said anode layer, said
second channel providing fluid communication between said second flow orifice
and said cathode layer.

1 2. The fuel cell stack of Claim 1 1 , wherein said second interior cavity
is annularly disposed about said first interior cavity and a feed tube disposed
within said second interior cavity provides fluid communicafion between said
first interior cavity and said first flow orifice.

13. The fuel cell stack of Claim 11, further comprising a porous flow
distributor disposed in said first channel.

14. The fuel cell stack of Claim 11, further comprising a porous flow
distributor disposed in said second channel.

15. The fuel cell stack of Claim 1 1 , further comprising an interconnect
disposed between said separator plate and said anode layer.

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PATENT
H0002197

16. The fuel cell stack of Claim 1 1 , further comprising an interconnect
disposed between said separator plate and said cathode layer.

17. The fuel cell stack of Claim 11, further comprising a pair of end
plates disposed on opposite sides of said cell.

18. The fuel cell stack of Claim 1 1 , wherein said single cells comprise
solid oxide fuel cells.

19. The fuel cell stack of Claim 11, wherein said single cells comprise
proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

20. The fuel cell stack of Claim 1 1 , wherein said single cells have a
substantially planar and annular configuration.

21. The fuel cell stack of Claim 11, wherein said first Interior cavity
receives a fuel and said second interior cavity receives an oxidant.

22. The fuel cell stack of Claim 15, wherein said interconnect is made
of metal foil in an off-set fin structure.

23. The fuel cell stack of Claim 16, wherein said interconnect is made
of metal foil in an off-set fin structure.

24. The fuel cell stack of Claim 15, wherein said interconnect is made
of a porous metal.

25. The fuel cell stack of Claim 16, wherein said interconnect is made
of a porous metal.

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PATENT
H0002197

26. The fuel cell stack of Claim 15, wherein said interconnect for an
anode side of said cells is made of nickel foam.

27. A fuel cell power system comprising:

a fuel cell stack having a manifold wherein heat is exchanged
between a fuel fluid and an oxidant fluid;

said manifold including a catalytic partial oxidation fuel reformer;
5 a fuel vaporizer in fluid communication with said manifold;

a combustion chamber wherein an exhaust gas from said fuel cell
stack is oxidized;

a recuperator wherein heat is exchanged between said exhaust
gas and said oxidant fluid;
10 a thermal enclosure enclosing said fuel vaporizer, said fuel cell

stack, said manifold, said catalytic partial oxidation fuel reformer, said
combustion chamber, and said recuperator;

a fuel storage tank in fluid communication with said fuel vaporizer;

a pressure relief valve;
15 an air flow delivery device wherein said air flow delivery device

pressurizes said oxidant fluid and delivers said oxidant fluid to said manifold
and wherein said air flow delivery device provides pressurization for said fuel
storage tank, and said pressure relief valve regulates said pressurization.

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PATENT
H0002197

28. A method of power generation comprising steps of:
using a fuel cell stack to generate power;
combusting an exhaust gas from said fuel cell stack;
exchanging a first heat between said exhaust gas and an oxidant

fluid;

exchanging a second heat between a fuel fluid and said oxidant

fluid;

enclosing said fuel cell stack, said first heat, and said second heat
within a thermal enclosure.

29. The method of Claim 28, further comprising a step of vaporizing
said fuel fluid.

30. The method of Claim 28, further comprising a step of reforming
said fuel fluid.

31 . The method of Claim 30, wherein said reforming step includes a
catalytic partial oxidation process.

32. The method of Claim 28, further comprising a step of providing
said fuel fluid from a fuel storage tank to said fuel cell stack.

33. The method of Claim 28, further comprising a step of pressurizing
said oxidant fluid.

34. The method of Claim 32, further comprising a step of pressurizing
said fuel storage tank.

35. The method of Claim 33, wherein said step of pressurizing said
fuel storage tank is regulated using a pressure relief valve.

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PATENT
H 0002 197

36. The method of Claim 28 wherein said enclosing step uses a
vacuum vessel.

37. The method of Claim 28 wherein said enclosing step uses multi-
layer insulation comprising alternating layers of metal foil and porous ceramic.

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